This is what the Flyers should aspire to be
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O. EngApril 6, 2022 (4:27 PM)
The Flyers are having an awful season. In many respects, it feels like the last three seasons were all played in one. In fact, it's been one of the worst in recent memory. Losing Claude Giroux doesn't help. Seasons like these leave management scratching their heads and fans wondering what's next.
Remember beating Montreal in the first round back in 2020 before losing to the Islanders in the second? How about missing out on the playoffs in 2021 and eventually this year in 2022? It feels like eons ago.
Charlie O'Connor, writer for the Flyers at The Athletic, wants to scratch this year and sets his sights on the 2022-23 season. He gave his take on the ambitious aggressive rebuild and which team could be seen as a blueprint. And before you ask, no it's not the Tampa Bay Lightning.
O'Connor believes that the team that all rebuilding teams but especially the Flyers should look to study from are the Carolina Hurricanes. Here are his five reasons why.
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«1.They draft for high-end skill and take big swings constantly, which dramatically increases the plausible upside of their picks.»
Carolina is not afraid to go off the board and take a risk at a skilled player they believe in. A great example of this is Sebastian Aho.
«2. Their decision-making processes across-the-board are heavily informed by analytics, in large part because of the significant influence of AGM Eric Tulsky (who grew up a Flyers fan and got his start in the industry writing for a Flyers blog � good job letting him get away, folks), from the draft to trades to signings.»
They trust their people and they trust advanced stats. Of course there are reasons to look at grit and size and other things. But in an evolving game where being fast and skilled is important, looking at the numbers will help. Numbers don't paint the whole picture but they can help get a team started.
«3. The coaching staff fosters a positive, creativity-friendly atmosphere driven by the man at the top (Rod Brind'Amour), who is beloved by his players.»
We've seen this phenomenon in Montreal too. Bringing in a former player who is still in touch with the players and the modern hockey culture is essential in fostering a positive atmosphere. Good energy attracts good players. Don't forget Brind'Amour won the Jack Adams not too long ago.
«4. They've successfully engaged with their fan base and turned their games into truly fun events.»
They have extensive and impressive outreach programs that take fan feedback in account. They have rituals after every game and it shows personality, rallies the fans behind the team and demonstrates that everybody is a part of the team.
�5. They've built a really, really good team in spite of serious financial limitations that come with that market.»
They got creative with the cap. They engineered a way out. They bought low and sold high. They did their research and built through the draft.
Credit: The Athletic
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